Vacuum wheel apparatus for applying tabbed strips of adhesive tape

ABSTRACT

A device for applying strips of tape having a pressure-sensitive adhesive disposed on one side thereof onto articles. The device forms a pull tab, suitable for gripping, from a portion of the tape strip and applies the tabbed strip to an article. The tab permits easy gripping and removal of the tape from the article.

United States Patent 1191 Patterson 14 1 Sept, 16, 1975 1 VACUUM WHEELAPPARATUS FOR APPLYING TABBED STRIPS OF ADHESIVE TAPE [75] Inventor:Richard A. Patterson, Woodbury,

Minn.

[73] Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul,Minn.

221 Filed: Nov. 29, 1974 21 App1.No.: 527,949

521 US. Cl. 156/443; 156/458; 15 /521; 156/568 51 1m. (:1. B65C 9/04;B32B 31/00 [58] Field of Search 156/444, 443, 519, 521,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,121,374 2/1964 Searle eta1. 156/583 3,355,995 12/1967 Borkmann et a1. 156/521 3,489,637 l/197OGresl et a1. 156/521 3,772,120 11/1973 Radzins 156/521 PrimaryExaminer-Douglas .I.. Drummond 1 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Alexander,Sell, Steldt & DeLaHunt 5 7 ABSTRACT A device for applying strips oftape having a pressuresensitive adhesive disposed on one side thereofonto articles. The device forms a pull tab, suitable for gripping, froma portion of the tape strip and applies the tabbed strip to an article.The tab permits easy gripping and removal of the tape from the article.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures VACUUM WHEEL APPARATUS FOR APPLYING TABBEDSTRIPS OF ADHESIVE TAPE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of TheInvention In one aspect, this invention relates to tape applicatingmachines; more specifically, this invention relates to machines whichform a tab on the tape before applying the tape to an article. I

2. Prior Art The tape applicating vacuum wheels presently availablereceive a strip of tape on the applicating wheel with the adhesivecoated surface exposed. If it is desired to apply a strip of tape with atab section which does not adhere to the substrate, a strip of film isapplied along one edge of the tape to cover a portion of the adhesive.When the tape is severed across its width, a tabbed strip of tape isformed which is as long as the tape is wide.

The prior art devices have proved useful but they require the use of afilm to form a tab which necessitates additional handling to load andfeed the film and the length of the strip applied is limited to thewidth of the tape and this severely limits the length of the tape stripwhich is applied. Also, the tape strip on the prior art machines cannotbe applied under tension since the tape is held on the wheel only by avacuum.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The tape applicating wheel of thisinvention solves the problems of the prior art. The wheel folds the tapeupon itself, an adhesive coated surface to an adhesive coated surface,so the tape forms a tab suitable for gripping without the need for anadditional film. The applicator also holds the formed tab duringapplication of the tabbed strip to a substrate thereby allowing the tapeto be applied under tension and the tape strip can be formed to thedesired length irrespective of the tapes width.

The apparatus of this invention comprises a frame having an ovoid camrace mounted thereon. A vacuum wheel is rotatably mounted on asupporting shaft at tached to the frame, the shaft being positionedwithin the cam race. A plurality of fixed anvils are evenlycircumferentially spaced about the periphery of the vacuum wheel. Aplurality of oscillating vacuum applicating segments, smaller than thespace between adjacent anvils and having a perforated applicatingsurface are movably mounted between the anvils. The segments are adaptedfor arcuate oscillatory motion on the periphery of the vacuum wheel inthe space between the anvils.

The oscillating segments have a leg with one end attached thereto andwith the end distal said segment rotatably mounted to the vacuum wheelby means of a pin. Each leg has an associated linking arm having one endfixedly attached to a pin with a fixed angular relationship between thelinking arm and the leg attached to the pin. A cam follower mounted onthe end of the linking arm opposite the pin is adapted for movementwithin the ovoid cam race.

Vacuum means supply a vacuum to the applicating surface of theoscillating segments and the spaces between the applicating segment anda complementary anvil.

A supply of tape having a pressure-sensitive adhesive on one sidethereof is fed onto the anvils and applicating segments with theadhesive exposed. As the vacuum wheel rotates, the cam follower movingin an ovoid path moves the linking arm which in turn causes theapplicating surface to oscillate closing the space between the anvil andthe applicating segment. Tape spanning the space is drawn into the spacebetween the segment and anvil by the vacuum and will be formed into atab by the pressure of an end of the segment against an end of the anvilwhen in a closed position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING A further understanding may be had byreferring to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view with the applicating wheel shown in one embodimentof this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of an applicating segment with its associatedleg and linking rm.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to thedrawing in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, tape 12from a supply roll 10 is fed continuously onto applicating segments 24.The tape 12 is fed onto the segments 24 so that the adhesive is exposed.As the tape is being fed to the wheel, it bridges a gap 13 betweenapplicating segments 24 and anvils 22 which anvils 22 are spacedcircumferentially, a distance exceeding the arcuate length of thesegments defining a recess for the segments. A vacuum applied to theperipheral surface of the applicating segments 24 holds the tape 12firmly on the applicating segment. As vacuum applicating wheel 16rotates, positioning means afford movement of each segment in the recessformed by the anvils 24 and wheel 21 to position the segment in aparticular position in relationship to the trailing anvil at variouspositions during the rotation of the wheel. As illustrated, a camfollower 32 in a cam race moves linking arms 30, pins 29 and leg 26causing the segments 24 to oscillate in the recesses. As the wheel 21 isrotated from the tape supply station, segments 24 are moved in thedirection opposite the direction of rotation of the wheel 2.1; thesegments will move from an open position with respect to theircomplementary trailing anvil to a closed position. A vacuum applied tothe gap 13 draws the tape into the narrowing gap to fold the tape duringsuch movement with the adhesive surface of the tape being in contactwith itself to form a permanent tab.

After a tab is formed, the wheel is rotated to the severing stationwhere severing means cuts the tabbed strips of tape to the desiredlength. As shown, the tabbed strip then contacts a revolving object 46,e.g., a tube which is held in a feed member 45 having a plurality ofdepressions which are suitable for holding the tube and carrying it tothe applicating station. The strip is applied about the circumference ofthe tube 46 which rotates in a direction opposite that of the vacuumwheel 16. The tab on the tape is held during application to keep tensionon the tape then the segments are moved in the direction of rotation ofthe wheel to again form a gap between the segment 24 and the trailinganvil. The tension allows the tape to be applied to irregularly shapedsubstrates. The tension will stretch the tape to conform to thesubstrates.

In greater detail, a continuous length of tape 12 is drawn from aconvolutely wound roll of tape by a driven feed roller 14 and fed ontothe periphery of a vacuum wheel designated generally 16. The vacuumwheel 16 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 18 attached to housing 20, theaxis of the shaft being perpendicular to the housing. A supporting disc21 has a plurality of fixed anvils 22 evenly spaced about the periphery.A plurality of vacuum applicating segment heads 24, corresponding innumber to the anvils 22, are disposed about the disc 21. The applicatingsegments 24 are mounted for arcuate oscillatory motion in the recessbetween the anvils 22, the segments being shorter than the recessproviding a gap 13 between he trailing edge of a segment and the nextanvil in one position of the segments.

The applicating segments 24 are held in position on the periphery ofwheel 21 by means of lips 25a projecting from each side of the vacuumwheel engaging complementary grooves 2517 along the sides of thesegments. The lips 250 will retian the applicating segments 24 inposition about the periphery but allow free movement of the segmentsbetween the anvils. The legs 26 have a bifurcated end which engages apin 27 in the applicating segments. The legs 26 are mounted to the disc21 by shafts 29, the shafts being free to rotate on the shaft so thatthe angle therebetween remains constant. The other free end of thelinking arm opposite the shaft 29 is free for movement about the axis ofshaft 29.

A cam follower 32, mounted on the free end of the linking arm 30 distalto the shaft 29, is adapted to move in the ovoid cam race 34. As camfollower 32 moves in the ovoid cam race 34 about the axis of shaft 10,the free end of linking arm 32 will move in an ovoid path toward andaway from the axis of shaft 18. This motion will cause a correspondingoscillating motion in the connected linking arm, leg and applicatingsegment.

As the tape is fed onto an applicating segment, there will be a gap 13between the applicating segment and its complementary anvil. A source ofsubatmospheric pressure, i.e., vacuum means not shown, is connected to amanifold 36 which transmits the vacuum pressure to apertures 38 on theexposed surface of the applicating segments 24 by means of a thindepression 40 on the surface of the supporting disc and a plurality ofradial bores 42 formed in the disc 21. The thin depression 40 also opensto the gap 13 to pull the tape into the gap as the segments 24 movetoward their complementary anvils 22.

After a tab has been formed in the tape 12, the wheel is rotated to thesevering stations where cutting means, such as arotary shear 44, willsever the tape to the desired length adjacent the tabbed end of a lengthof tape carried by the applicating segment 24. The cut length of tape isthen carried to an applicating station.

As shown, the cylindrical tube 46 is held in an appli cating position inthe depression 47 by feed member about their axes to permit oscillatingof the segments 24 in the recesses. One end of each linking arm 30 isalso connected to a corresponding arm and leg being fixedly mountedwhich has a number of depressions suitable for holding tubes to betaped. There are means (not shown) to rotate the tube 46 in acounterclockwise direction as the applicaing wheel moves in a clockwisedirection. The tabbed segment of tape 12 will be wrapped firmly aboutthe object 46, the tabbed portion being firmly gripped between anapplicating segment and a trailing anvil. This allows the tape to beapplied under tension providing a good contact. When the tabbed portionis reached, the segment is moved in the direction of rotation of thewheel and the wheel releases the tab and the adhesion of the tape to thearticle is sufficient to pull the tab from between the segment and itscomplementary anvil. The empty applicating segment then rotates intoposition to receive the tape feed from the supply 10.

While this invention has been described with respect to placing a tabbedlength of tape on a cylindrical or circular object, it is also usefulfor placing tabbed lengths of tape on boxes, joining parts or otherapplications which use a tape closure.

Various modifications and alterations of this invention will becomeobvious to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope andthe spirit of this invention, and it is to be understood that thisinvention is not limited to the illustrative embodiments set forthhereinbefore.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for forming and applying a tabbed strip of adhesive tapeto an object comprising:

a frame;

a wheel mounted for rotation on a supporting shaft attached to saidframe;

a plurality of fixed anvils evenly spaced about the periphery of saidwheel;

a plurality of oscillating vacuum applicating segments, having aperforated applicating surface, supported for arcuate oscillatory motionin the space between said fixed anvils, each of said oscillatingsegments moving from an open to a closed position with respect to acomplementary fixed anvil and each of said applicating segments having aleg with the end of said leg distal said segment and fixedly mounted toa pin rotatably mounted on said vacuum wheel;

positioning means are provided for rotating said pins to move saidsegments through the desired oscillatory movement upon rotation of saidwheel;

vacuum means for supplying a vacuum to said applicating segments and thearea between said applicating segments and said fixed anvils for holdingthe tape on the segments and fordrawing the tape into the gap between anend of the segment and the complementary fixed anvil;

feed means for feeding tape from a supply of tape having apressure-sensitive adhesive disposed on one side thereof to saidapplicating segments with the adhesive exposed; and

cutting means for severing said tape placed upon said wheel intolengths;

whereby as said vacuum wheel rotates tape is fed onto the surface of thewheel and is cut into lengths with said segments moving with relation tosaid anvils to form a tab on the tape when one of the applicatingsegments is moved to a closed configuration, said tab being formed asthe tape spanning the space between one of said applicating segments andone of said fixed anvils in the open configuration is drawn by thevacuum into the space between said segments and is formed into a tab bythe pressure between the segment and anvil as they move to the closedposition.

2. An apparatus for forming and applying a tabbed strip of adhesive tapeto an object comprising:

a frame;

an ovoid cam race disposed on said frame;

a vacuum wheel rotatably mounted on a supporting shaft attached to saidframe, said shaft being located on an axis positioned within said camrace;

a plurality of fixed anvils evenly spaced about the periphery of saidvacuum wheel;

a plurality of oscillating vacuum applicating segments, having aperforated applicating surface, adapted for arcuate oscillatory motionin the space between said fixed anvils, each of said oscillatingsegments moving from an open to a closed position with respect to acomplementary fixed anvil and each of said applicating segments having aleg with the end of said leg distal said segment, fixedly mounted to acorresponding pin rotatably mounted on said vacuum wheel;

linking arms having one end fixedly attached to said pins at a fixedangular relationship to said leg;

a cam follower mounted on the other end of said linking arm oppositesaid pin, said cam follower being adapted for movement in said ovoid camrace;

vacuum means for supplying a vacuum to said applicating surface and thearea between said applicating segments and said fixed anvil when theyare in the open position;

feed means for feeding tape from a supply of tape having apressure-sensitive adhesive disposed on one side thereof to saidapplicating segments with the adhesive exposed; and

cutting means for severing said tape disposed on the surface of thewheel into lengths,

whereby as said vacuum rotates said cam follower 3. The apparatus ofclaim 2 wherein said cutting means is a rotary shear adapted tocooperate with said fixed anvils to sever said tape therebetween.

1. AN APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND APPLYING A TABBED STRIP OF ADHESIVE TAPETO AN OBJECT COMPRISING: A FRAME, A WHEEL MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ON ASUPPORTING SHAFT ATTACHED TO SAID FRAME, A PLURALITY OF FIXED ANVILSEVENLY SPACED ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID WHEEL, A PLURALITY OFOSCILLATING VACUUM APPLICATING SEGMENT, HAVING A PERFORATED APPLICATINGSURFACE, SUPPORTED FOR ARCUATE OSCILLATORY MOTION IN THE SPACE BETWEENSAID FIXED ANVILS, EACH OF SAID OSCILLATING SEGMENTS MOVING FROM AN OPENTO A CLOSED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO A COMPLEMENTARY FIXED ANVIL ANDEACH OF SAID APPLICATING SEGMENTS HAVING A LEG WITH THE END OF SAID LEGDISTAL SAID SEGMENT AND FIXEDLY MOUNTED TO A PIN ROTATABLE MOUNTED ONSAID VACUUM WHEEL, POSITIONING MEANS ARE PROVIDED FOR ROTATING SAID PINSTO MOVE SAID SEGMENTS THROUGH THE DESIRED OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT UPONROTATION OF SAID WHEEL, VACUUM MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A VACUUM TO SAIDAPPLICATING SEGMENTS AND THE AREA BETWEEN SAID APPLICATING SEGMENTS ANDSAID FIXED ANVILS FOR HOLDING THE TAPE ON THE SEGMENTS AND FOR DRAWINGTHE TAPE INTO THE GAP BETWEEN AND END OF THE SEGMENT AND THECOMPLEMENTARY FIXED ANVIL, FEED MEANS FOR FEEDING TAPE FROM A SUPPLY OFTAPE HAVING A PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE DISPOSED ON ONE SIDE THEREOFTO SAID APPLICATING SEGMENTS WITH THE ADHESIVE EXPOSED, AND CUTTINGMEANS FOR SEVERING SAID TAPE PLACED UPON SAID WHEEL INTO LENGTHS,WHEREBY AS SAID VACUUM WHEEL ROTATES TAPE IS FED ONTO THE SURFACE OF THEWHEEL AND IS CUT INTO LENGTHS WITH SAID SEGMENTS MOVING WITH RELATION TOSAID ANVILS TO FORM A TAB ON THE TAPE WHEN ONE OF THE APPLICATINGSEGMENTS IS MOVED TO A CLOSED CONFIGURATON, SAID TAB BEING FORMED AS THETAPE SPANNING THE SPACE BETWEEN ONE OF SAID APPLICATING SEGMENTS AND ONEOF SAID FIXED ANVILS IN THE OPEN CONFIGURATION IS DRAWN BY THE VACUUMINTO THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID SEGMENT AND IS FORMED INTO A TAB BY THEPRESSURE BETWEEN THE SEGMENT AND ANVIL AS THEY MOVE TO THE CLOSEDPOSITION.
 2. An apparatus for forming and applying a tabbed strip ofadhesive tape to an object comprising: a frame; an ovoid cam racedisposed on said frame; a vacuum wheel rotatably mounted on a supportingshaft attached to said frame, said shaft being located on an axispositioned within said cam race; a plurality of fixed anvils evenlyspaced about the periphery of said vacuum wheel; a plurality ofoscillating vacuum applicating segments, having a perforated applicatingsurface, adapted for arcuate oscillatory motion in the space betweensaid fixed anvils, each of said oscillating segments moving from an opento a closed position with respect to a complementary fixed anvil andeach of said applicating segments having a leg with the end of said legdistal said segment, fixedly mounted to a corresponding pin rotatablymounted on said vacuum wheel; linking arms having one end fixedlyattached to said pins at a fixed angular relationship to said leg; a camfollower mounted on the other end of said linking arm opposite said pin,said cam follower being adapted for movement in said ovoid cam race;vacuum means for supplying a vacuum to said applicating surface and thearea between said applicating segments and said fixed anvil when theyare in the open position; feed means for feeding tape from a supply oftape having a pressure-sensitive adhesive disposed on one side thereofto said applicating segments with the adhesive exposed; and cuttingmeans for severing said tape disposed on the surface of the wheel intolengths, whereby as said vacuum rotates said cam follower moves in anovoid path moving said linking arm which in turn causes said applicatingsurface to oscillate from an open configuration with a space between thefixed anvil and one of the applicating segments to a closedconfiguration, the tape spanning the space between one of saidapplicating segments and one of said fixed anvils in the openconfiguration will be drawn by the vacuum into the sapce between saidsegments and will be formed into a tab by the pressure between thesegment and anvil in the closed position.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2wherein said cutting means is a rotary shear adapted to cooperate withsaid fixed anvils to sever said tape therebetween.